Aerial machine.



L. J. TEfnLow. AERIAL MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEU. 23. 1912.

J. kan@ L. J. TETLOW.

AERIAL MACHINE. n l APrLroATIoN FILED 11110.23. 1912. n 1,1 14,31 1. Paenwd -0ct- 20,1914. 1

a sums-man1 'if L. J. TETLoW.

AERIAL MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 23. 1912.

1,1 14,31 1 Patented 0013.20, 1914..,

- v 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3. @5

LEWIS J. TETLow, F WEST SPRINGEIELIJ, MASSACHUSETTS.

i AERIAL MACHINE.

To alt' 'wlw-nt it may concern Be it known that I, LEWIS J. TETLOW, a-

citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Vifest Springfield, in the county of( Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have/invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aerial Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description;

This invention relating toiniprovements in aerial machines or vessels is characterized bythe provision of one or .more aeroplanes lmounted above the supporting frame and so jointed as to be tiltable transversely against mediums of yielding resistance which have a tendency to maintain. the planesv normally with one side at the same height as the other,

such aeroplanes, of course, having means fo-r varying their fore-and-aft inclinations; and in the machine as preferably constructed having two aeroplanes, one at the forward and the other at the rearward portion of the machine, the latternamed means is operable for simultaneously operating both of the planes in corresponding degrees of inclination;

The machine is furthermore characterized by provisions whereby the transverselytiltable and longitudinally rocking aeroplanes are balanced for most satisfactory results.

The machine is further characterized by an aeroplane machine having motors mountcdo'n longitudinally movable adjustable supports therefor forward and to the rear of the center of gravity of the machine with means for effecting longitudinal adjustments ofthe 'motor supports and for confining them in their properly adjusted positions.

The machine is, furthermore, characterized by an organization-of parts especially' inclusive of aeroplanesvin fore-and-aft relations, propellers at .the front and rear -portions ofthe machine,the movably mounted motors, the centrally located rudder staffer shaft, and respective meansfor controlling the actions of the various instrumentali'ties.

The invention is described in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings and is set forth in the claims. y

In the drawings z--Figurev l is a plan view of themachine; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; F ig.. 3 is a viewshowing parts comprised in and .pertaining` to the longij tudinallv movable motor suspension supi 1: PCI..-

j Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed December 23, 1912. Serial No. 738,117.

1g. 4 1s a cross sectional view i Patented oet. 2o, 1914.

detail of a portion of one of the aeroplanes. Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the machine, the propeller being'omitted. Fig. 6 represents details of construction comprised in the means for effecting fore-and-aft inclination of either one of the aeroplanes. Figs. 7 and 8 are views as seen at right angles to each other, of the upstanding support for each aeroplane and the peculiar means by which the aeroplane is jointed and adjustable, relatively to the upstanding support. Figs. 9 and l() are respectively a side elevation and a vertical sectional view'on line 10-10, Fig. 9, showing details of construction pertaining to the depending balancing and ballasting members provided at lateral parts of each aeroplane. Fig. 1l is a side elevation of the operating device securing the inclina- Fig. 12 is a partial.

tions of the aeroplanes. plan view of the structural feature comprised in the frame of the machine.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the views.

In the drawings, A represents the frame of the machine, the same being of a skeleton or openw-ork construction and of any suitable design, and material consistent with lightness. l'

The machine as organized according to the drawings. comprises two aero-planes B B which are represented as considerably wider at the forward portion than at the rear.

D represent upstanding supports or I-posts located at the longitudinal median of the frame, one forward and the other somewhat behind the middle of the machine.

Each aeroplane has at the forward part thereof on its central longitudinal line' a bracket a comprising a lon itudinal downwardly open slideway a2 an shaft su ports 1,3 to the forward'and rear of the sli eway. The bracket is securedby bolts or in any suitable manner at the underside of the aeroplane. The block b is fitted and'guided for movement in the slideway; and a screw shaft d, rotatively mounted in said shaft supports a3 has a screw engagement through the block so that by the turning of the screws an adjusting movement of the block along the length of the aeroplane may be acquired. A universal joint e connects the block and the upstanding support or post so that while the aeroplane may be rocked for any fore-and-aft inclination` it may also be tilted"transversely.v -The transverserocking movement of each aeroplane against the resistance of reslllent means serving-as slightly ahead of the transverse line coin=...

cidentwiththe post D. This. duplicated depending member'E has oonnectionwith the-.aeroplane 1in the samemannenas the aforementioned block b; that is the aerot plane has its bracket a5, with sldeway a6 therein, shaft supports a7, a7, and,screw :.Shaft a- -theupper part ofthe member- E being comprised in a vscrew connected block or section a9, 'litte d and movable inthe slide' .Jvay, j. Each depending member E hasa hol- 20 low bulb f at its lower end for receiving a ballastingmaterial therein, suc-h bulbhaving an internally threaded neck bymeans ofvvhieh it is .dtachably connected.

F .F1 representmediums of connection extending-between lower portions of the depending .memhers--E E, andalslidable collar .gat or near .the base of the post l), the same ...having connections with said parts; said connections has each a springportion/L and a chainor othernon-elastic portion 1h? and the: aforementioned collar is capable of a slight vertical movement as .guided -on the post and `in rising its movement is against i the reaction of a spiral spring g? lforone end of which the stopor shoulder g3 `is provided.

,y The appliances.andconnections described operate to normally maintain the aeroplane with its transverse linehorizontah but in -"the flight of themachnewhen the body or frame thereof, which is supported or hung from -the aeroplanes in a pendulous manner, .is` relatively at an angle (in the cross sectional aspeet) to the aeroplanes, the resilient connections may come'and go to accord l with'the degree 4of tilting, either vto a., downs ward leftward inclination orto a downward I rightward inclinationof the plane. In other words,ithe frame and motors thereon will be generally carried level, even althoughthe 5o planes are tilted transversely' in either direction. By havingthe connections between the posts ,Dy Dalld. theaeroplanes and be-` tween the paired'depen'ding members E E and the aeroplanes lon 5e able,: the positioning of t e aeroplanes relativelyl t0. veach otherf'and for theirproperly 4balanced support; at the upper ends' of the posts may be practicably accomplished.

85' fonvrardly and rearwardly extending con-' their given set positions.

j 'are having at theirforward and rear. ends respectively connections. with theupstanding arm of bell crank levers jg, to the lower horizontal arms of-1which co1mection is made by link js or suitably otherwise with the lower ends or vertical @thrust rods j* which ,extend up- War-diy through guide ytubes j5 of the frame .and have universal joint connections (j6 representing the .universal joints) wit-hs rear under portions ofthe aeroplane. Byv swinging thelever J more orllcss the inclinations ofthe aeroplanes are "acquired simultaneonsly and of. corresponding degree. The pair of motors'K K are mounted on .the lower Aplatform;like' portions of suspension frame M which are hung from and are longitudinally'adjustahly movable relatively to the mainframe A. The motors are 'to be sopositionedfasjto be one ahead and the other to the rear ofthe center of gravity of the machine,isuiliciently far to counterbalance each other.

The upstanding side members m of each suspension frame which embraces and extends above'the main frame or platform A are provided with opposite sets of pinions ma which engage the teeth vof longitudinal rack bars m3 on main frameA. The suspension framesl are suitably cross tied, braced or trussed and they have 4pivo-tally mounted on upper parts thereof reversed pivoted pawls or dogs "mt to be engaged in the rack teeth- ,for holding the motor suspension frames in 100 -k represents a pair of levers in the cockpit t'o' vvhich connecting rods k2, 7.22 are plv- ,oted,'such rods being also pivoted to the motor Suspension frame, and so that by the operations of either of the levers 7c individ- 105 ually the motorfsuspension supports may be independently adj ustably positioned. 0f course, in order to permit either suspension Mframe to be moved along the main frame, '1t is necessary to manually temporarily 110 'I throw theldogsm? out of their rack teeth engagements.

"The bladed ropellers P are mounted on horizontal sha ts P2 therefor in hangers o' at the forward and rearward ends of the 115 machine,*both propellers being provided to work simultaneously and to drive the machine forwardly,`-that is from left to right a'sfFigs 1 and 2 are viewed. For the propellers, driving means are provided which areadapted to be placed in and out of clutch engagement with the shaft Q which is driven'by the duplicated motors K. The machine is provided with a cock-pit 60 housing or cabinG at the center thereof in which the. controlling members for the sev- The motor shafts q have sprocket wheels Q2 thereon and sprocket wheels g3 are v125 mounted for rotation on the motor suspension frame M, such wheels moving horizon vtally and longitudinally in unison with the suspension frames which are ca able of the fore-and-aft adjustments herein fore menlhe shaft Q, is byprefereneeontinuous from end to end oi themachineybutthis by no ineans requisite as separate a'nd iluplir .atedshafts indivilnalto the respective nio- 4 ters inig'lit with satisfactory resii'ltsbe em;

ployed. Appartenant to' eaoli p1 opeller is a countershaft. R horizontally mounted in the 1 5 hangers 0 and having sprocket wheely r uaround which runs sprocket chain r2 which drives the sprocket wheel r3 affixed to the propeller shaft. On the inner ends of thecountersliafts R are ailixed s rocketwheels 2r, s which by the eliain s2 have rivingjeonnecvtion with the sprocket Wheels `a3 which are loose on'the engine driven shaft Q and with which are associated the clutches [including the spline and slidable collars, sueh clutches and operatingcollars being of any usual or approved type. The levers u. are provided in eoaction with the clutch collars and the pair of connecting rods u2 arexpivoted -at their outer ends to bothjof theleversiu and at\ their inner ends are both connected to the operating lever ua vat .the centerl of the niachinathe organization being, such that when the lever ua is swung in .vone directi oh the mechanism fordriving theprepellers isi s in clutch, and both propellers wi 1 l, tliei`re,

fore, be located while, of course, when the lever u1* is suitably reverse-ly swung; the pro'- pellei' drive will be out of clutch.

-,- The rudder T is located adjacent the oe/iiter of the machine and above the aeroplane.

1t is carried on an upstandingshaft or post e to which an operating member f0.2, snch,

'for instance, as a hand wheel, is provided.

Xs represented by dotted lines in Fig., 1,

aiidin detail. section Fig. 4f, the aeroplanesj have opposite sets of depending ribs fw having a front to rearward trend;I but insteadl of being, as they might be employedwith a degree of advantageous result, ythey are for even better. resultsarianged 4obliquely and y these at opposite sidesef theeentral longi tudinal line of the machine-. conyergently to 'l`liese,as1 shov vn are pro- `vided at and depending belo'wthe undersidef of the aeropla1ie, but an inversion of this ar-'f each other.

rangeinentrnight be made.. Iclairni- 1. A n aerial machine iiieluding a main frame, an upstandingsupportprovided at 3- tlie longitudinal median of such `trani@ an aeroplane jointed te an. upright support wherebyfit'inay oscillate transversely. resilient mediums having anchored connections with the lower portion `oifjthe upstandingsupport and having connections with oppofposi-tioning' the aeroplane in any t inclination.,

a 2.,. Ali- .e-,l l machine .iiwledne a imam portions said depending members below` the.,yaeroplane, a nd ineans for lacing and eon'ningfthe aeroplane in any ore-'andaft `inclination.v An :aerial machine including a main frame,-r Ilanupstandiigsupport at vthe longitlidina-lgv median thereof,l an aeroplane. joint- 'edtn .the iipi iglit support whereby it may oseillate .transversely a member slidably niovableli'elatively to a lower portionof the I ipstanding ,suppfort, resilient means against 'member'. is slidableinthe upward direction, Iand 'reeilient mediumshavi connectionsat their inner ends'with saidslidlintedf'to oseillatepp'n p t for, aequiring itsforefandaftinclina# teri'il I df i, `devrplaglxie, and

standing sup' iiiiag'es at the -lo'iigitndin.al medianofthe :I nainl frarnezg.and.. having]'eennections with able niemher and having. connections with 1 opposite lateraI-Upnrtionsof t-heaeroplane ,& A n. .aerial inaliine including a g 4main frame, an upstanding support at the longitudinal median of the frame, an aeroplane mounted to oscillate on the upstanding support for acquiring its fore-and-aft inclination and also adapted to rock transversely, resilient means against the resistance of which the plane has its transverse rocking movements, pendulous weighting and plane balancing means forward ofthe center of oscillation, means for varying l0ngitudinally the center of oscillation, and means for longitudinally variably positioning the planebalancing means.

8. An aerial machine including a main frame, an upstanding supportv at the longimounted to oscillate on the upstanding support for acquiring its fore-and-aft inclination and also adapted to rock transversely,`

resilient means against the resistance of which thc plane has its transverse rocking movements, duplicated pendulous weighting and plane balancing means forward and at opposite sides of the center of oscillation, means for varying longitudinally the center of oscillation, and means for individually longitudinally variably positioning the duplicated plane-balancing means.

9. In an aerial machine, asupporting' frame, an upstanding support at the longitudinal median thereof, `an aeroplane universal-j@int-connected` to the upstanding. support for fore-and-aft oscillation, and transverse rocking movement, resilient means against the resistance of which the plane transversely rocks', a thrust rod having a universal-joint connection with the plane, at a point, in the longitudinal line of the latter distant from the upstanding sup port, manually operable means for moving the thrust rod, and means for confining such thrust rod against movement.

l0. In an aerial machine, a main frame, un upstanding support at the longitudinal median thereof, an aeroplane having on its central longitudinal line a bracket comprising a longitudinal downwardly open slideway and shaft supports to the forward and rear of the slideway, a block movably guided in the slideway, a screw shaft rotative in said shaft support and having a screw engagement with the block, a universal joint connecting the said block and said upstandng support, means for positioning the plane in its desired fore-andaft inclination, and resilient means against the resistance of which the plane may have its transverse rocking movement.

11. In an aerial machine, a main frame, an upstanding support at the longitudinal median thereof. an aeroplane having on its central longitudinal line a bracket compris ing a longitudinal ldownwardly open slideway andsshaft supports forward and to the rear' of the slideway, a block movably guided in the slideway, a screw shaft rotative in said shaft supports and havinga screw engagement with the block, a unlversal Joint connecting the said block and said upstanding support, means for positioning the plane in its desired fore-and-aft inclination, a collar vertically slidable on the upstanding support, a spring against the resistance of whichv the collar has its sliding movement in an upward direction, and connections including springs secured to said collar and extendmg upwardly and outwardly and havingconnections with the plane at opposite side portions of the latter.

l2. In an aerial machine, a main frame, au upstanding support at the longitudinal median thereof, an aeroplane universal-jointconnected with the upstanding support, and having, at opposite side portions thereof and forward of the upstandingsupport, depending brackets each comprising a longitiulinal downwardly open slideway and shaft-supports forward and to the rear of the slide.` way, a block movably guided in each slideway, a screw rotative in each set of the shaft supports and screw engaging the block, depending members supported by oppositeI pairs of such blocks, and resilient mediums connected to the depending members, and having anchorages at the longitudinal median of the machine.

13. In an aerial machine, a main frame, an upstanding support at the longitudinal median thereof, an aeroplane universaljoint-connected with the upstanding support, and having, at opposite side portions thereof and forward of the upstanding support, depending brackets each comprising a longitudinal downwardly open slideway and shaft-supports forward and to the rear of the slideway, a block movably guided in each slideway, a screw rotative in each set of the shaft supports and screw engaging the block, depending members supported by opposite pairs ofsuch blocks, and resilient mediun'xs connected to the depending members, and a member at the longitudinal median of theI machine, and vertically movable yielding means against the resistance of which said members vertically. mo've,said resilient mediums having at their inner ends connections with said vertically movable member.

14. In an aerial machine, a main frame, an "upstanding support at the longitudinal median thereof, an aeroplane universaljointconnected with the upstanding support, and-having, at opposite side portions thereof and forward of the upstanding support, depending brackets each comprising a longitudinal downwardly open slideway and shaft-supports forward and to the rear of the slideway, a block movably guided in each slideway, a screw rotative in each set of the shaft supports, and screw engaging the block, depending members supported by opposite lasting receptacles, and resilient mediums yconnected to the depending members, and

having anchorages at the longitudinal median of the machine.

15. In anl aerial machine, a frame having an upstanding support at its longitudinal median, an aeroplane universal-joint-connected at an intermediate portion'of its longitudinal median to the upstanding support, and means forv longitudinally varying such point of connection, and resilient means, against the yielding resistance of Which the plane may have its sidewise rocking movements.

16. In an aerial machine, a frame having an upstanding support at its longitudinal median, an aeroplane universal-joint-connected at an intermediate portion of its longitudinal median to the upstanding support, and means forlongitudinally varying such point of connection, depending members longitudinally adjust-ably connected to the aeroplane at opposite side portions thereof, and at different portions in the length therefrom,

'from the connection-of the plane With the upstanding support, and resilient means,

against the yielding resistance of which the plane may have its sideWise rocking movements. j

17. In an aerial machine, a frame, an elevated support thereon, an aeroplane universally-joint-connected to said support, resilient means against the resistance of which the plane is transversely tiltable, a bell crank lever, means connected with one arm thereof for lmpartinga swinging motion thereto,

and a thrust rod connected to the other arm of the bell crank and universal-joint-connected to the plane at a point longitudinally distanced from 'the connection of the plane with the elevated support.

18. In an aerial machine, a frame, elevated supports thereon, one in advance of 'the other, aeroplanes universally joint-connected to said supports, resilient means against the resistance of which the planes are transversely tiltable, and means connected with both of the planes for imparting 'fore-and-aft inclinations thereto simultaneously and in corresponding degrees.

19. In an aerial machine, a frame, clevated supports thereon, one in advance of the other, aeroplanes universal-joint-connected to said supports, resilient meansv against the resistance of which the planes are transversely tiltable, means connected with both of the planes for imparting oreand-aft inclinations thereto simultaneously and in corresponding degrees, and ballasting Vdevices on opposite lateral portions of the planes and-means for adjusting said ballasting devices individually and' longitudinally. Signed by me at Springfield, Mass., in

presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

LEWIS J. TETLOW.

Witnesses:

WM. S. BELLoWs, G. R. DmscoLL. 

